-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- I met Whitney Houston after the debut of her first self-titled album on Arista Records . She was poised , graceful and strong . She was also sweet and laughed easily .

This seems unremarkable today other than the fact that strong women were not exactly well-supported in those days in the music business . As in other professions when a female artist was successful , she was often accused of being demanding and diva-like even when all she sought was the same respect or artistic license that men of their stature received . So Whitney 's decency was noticed and her joy for singing was infectious . Her mother , Cissy Houston , hovered and I suspect had a lot to do with her staying grounded for as long as she did .

Whitney 's voice soared . When she sang , our emotions rose and fell with her projection . Her articulation of lyrics combined with a smoothness in her timbre created one of the greatest musical voices of all time .

As with many famous people , the celebrity she achieved came with public attention beyond imagination -- and some of it was n't always very kind . She was criticized after her first two albums for not being `` black enough . '' Her ballads were attacked for lacking rhythm . Clive Davis , her mentor and executive producer , was accused of trying to keep her `` white . '' It was all nonsense of course , but I am certain it was painful .

I vividly recall sitting next to a star who once had fame approximating Whitney 's but whose revenues were clearly on the downswing , speaking loudly to the rest of her table about how awful and lucky Whitney was and how she did n't deserve her fame .

Gene Seymour : Whitney Houston , special from the start

The jealously and vitriol were significant . At the same time , the adulation of her fans around the world was huge . Expectations for her were very high . As an African-American global superstar , she made a real difference in so many important causes .

She lent her stature to the anti-apartheid movement , to the response to the AIDS crisis and to the need for better educational opportunities for young black men and women . But no matter what she did , people always wanted more -- as we do of all stars . The public demand facing our celebrities is unrelenting .

Of course , I do n't know what drove her to drugs in the beginning , but drowning out the intensity around her was surely one of the side effects she came to depend upon . And of course , then there is addiction .

As experts know , no matter how much consciousness you develop about your drug habit and no matter how much you want to quit , the chemical attraction is incredibly powerful and beckons over and over again . When sobriety makes apparent the reality of a disappointing showing at the box office , a failed new single or a harsh critical review , the failure that most of us bear in private is splashed on every media page in the world for all to see .

For some artists , their talent is a precious gift , and they honor it by loving and taking care of themselves . For others , it becomes a burden .

My favorite Whitney song is `` The Greatest Love of All , '' a rousing anthem to learning to love yourself . It breaks my heart that the woman who inspired so much pride with this song suffered so much from her own demons .

Like Billie Holiday , Judy Garland , Elvis and others before her , that inner voice of doubt that we all feel sometimes just could never keep up with the public adulation .

And so the only answer in the moment that makes sense is to drown out the external praise and dull the doubt with drugs and alcohol . By many accounts from those close to her , she understood the dangers even as she was too often powerless to change . And she raised a wonderful daughter despite her troubles . That says so much about her determination to beat her addiction .

I wish that our intense media culture allowed more space for celebrating the positives about people while they are alive and struggling .

Whitney Houston 's music legacy will be an inspiration to young artists for years to come . Without taking one thing away from her amazing talent and my total and complete admiration for her career , I hope her troubled life in the spotlight will also serve as the right warning as well .

Follow CNN Opinion on Twitter

Join the conversation on Facebook

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Hilary Rosen .

@highlight

Hilary Rosen : Whitney Houston was strong , poised and immensely talented

@highlight

She says Whitney Houston came under pressure to satisfy critics , struggled with drugs

@highlight

Houston was an advocate for causes including the struggles against apartheid and AIDS

@highlight

Rosen : The media should celebrate the positives about people while they are still alive